The Strength of Vows

by Shanna Hatfield 

I have a new book releasing today called The Christmas Vow. The story, set in the 1890s, is about a man who returns to his hometown to bury his best friend and encounters the woman who broke his heart when they were both eighteen.
Although Adam is determined to stay away from her, he can no more leave her alone than he can stop needing air to breathe.
Tia is a widow with a four-year-old son, Toby, and came back to the town where she grew up to regroup and get a fresh start.
When her former father-in-law threatens to take her son away,  Adam vows to keep both Tia and Toby safe. They wed immediately, a marriage of convenience (or so they both try to convince themselves), for Toby's sake.
As I was writing the story, it really got me thinking about vows.
Did they hold more weight back then than they do now? Do vows still mean something to people?
I like to think they do.
What, exactly, is a vow?
There are any number of ways to define it, but in its most simple form, a vow is a solemn promise.
Vows are most often associated with love and marriage.

In the story, Adam takes his vows quite seriously.

The ceremony was simple and brief, but Adam took each word to heart. He didn’t lightly make a vow to Tia. For as long as she’d allow, he would cherish and protect her.

After all, a vow was much more than a promise, far deeper than a commitment. It was a pledge, a troth to another, and Adam intended to honor every word.

Even if Tia never felt another ounce of love for him, he would shelter her from life’s storms, encourage her dreams, and offer her a safe haven in his arms.

Just the idea of making a promise you intend to keep for a lifetime holds a bit of romance.

One of my favorite vows is from The Vow by Nicholas Sparks.

Married for almost twenty-two years, I recall the vows I exchanged with Captain Cavedweller like it was just yesterday. Humor and love are two threads that have been woven through our relationship from the start.

Which is why this vow is particularly fitting:

 What are your thoughts on vows?

The Christmas Vow is the fourth book in the Hardman Holidays sweet Victorian romance series.

Columbia River Pilot Adam Guthry returns to his hometown of Hardman, Oregon, after the sudden death of his best friend. Emotions he can’t contain bubble to the surface the moment he sees the girl who shattered his heart eleven years ago.

Widow Tia Devereux escapes her restrictive life in Portland, returning to the home she knew and adored as a girl in Hardman. She and her four-year-old son, Toby, settle into the small Eastern Oregon community, eager for the holiday season. Unfortunately, the only man she’s ever loved shows up, stirring the embers of a long-dead romance into a blazing flame. When her former father-in-law, a corrupt judge, decides he wants to raise Toby, Adam may be the only hope she has of keeping her son.

You can order your copy today for only $2.99 on Amazon! http://amzn.to/1KQHhvI

Teaser

“I believe that’s exactly the point.” Adam’s lopsided grin revealed his dimples and made her mouth water for want of his kiss.

Aggravated with herself, Tia aimed her fury at Adam. “The point is your recklessness might get you or someone else horribly injured.” She turned around and strode toward the kitchen door. “I insist you…”

A snowball caught her square in the back. Mouth hanging open in surprise, she spun around and glared at him.

Adam worked to form another snowball, ignoring her scowl.

Incensed, Tia surrendered to the need to stamp her foot. “How dare you!”

“Just like this.” He grinned and lobbed another snowball at her, catching her on the shoulder. Bits of snow sprayed into her face and hair.

“Oh! You are in for it now, Adam Guthry!” Tia bent down and hastily formed a snowball. With unmistakable precision, she threw it at Adam, hitting him on the chin.

He spluttered and returned fire, barely grazing her arm as she twisted away at the last second.

Peals of her laughter filled the quiet December afternoon and drew Toby outside as she and Adam continued to throw snow at each other.

“Mama?” The little boy’s lip quivered. “Did you send me inside so you could play without me?”

    

 

Don't miss out on the Hardman Holidays series!

You’re Invited to PARTY!

You’re invited to join in the online Cowboys & Christmas Facebook Party, today from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (PST). Drop in anytime during those four hours to enter to win great prizes, chat with guest authors, and more (many of the giveaways will stay open until the following morning)!

Here’s the link to the party: http://tinyurl.com/cowboychristmasparty2

The talented guest authors joining in the celebration include: 

10 a.m. - Carmen Peone 

10:30 - Kayla Dawn Thomas 

11 a.m. - Melanie D. Snitker, Author 

11:30 - Julie Cerniglia Lence 

Noon - Author CJ Samuels 

12:30 - Rachel Rossano 

1 p.m. - Author Kristin Holt 

1:30 - Dani Harper

Enter to Win Prizes!

To enter the drawing for an Amazon gift card, Wrangler Tote Bag, Rock & Roll Cowgirl T-shirt, autographed books, chocolates, and more fun goodies, fill out this form. Winners will be randomly drawn and announced Nov. 16. http://tinyurl.com/cowboychristmasprizes2

Ring in the Holidays with a Helping Hand

November 1 through December 24, ten percent of the net proceeds from all Shanna Hatfield book sales will be donated to the Justin Cowboy Crisis Fund. The JCCF is a non-profit organization that assists rodeo athletes who’ve sustained catastrophic injuries and are unable to work for an extended period. Every book purchased during this promotional period adds to the donation total. Don't forget to add books to your Christmas lists!

 

About Shanna Hatfield

Convinced everyone deserves a happy ending, hopeless romantic Shanna Hatfield is out to make it happen, one story at a time. Her sweet historical and contemporary romances combine humor and heart-pumping moments with characters that seem incredibly real.

When she isn’t writing or indulging in chocolate (dark and decadent, please), Shanna hangs out with her husband, lovingly known as Captain Cavedweller.

This USA Today bestselling author is a member of Western Writers of America, Women Writing the West, Romance Writers of America, Sweet Romance Reads, and Pioneer Hearts.

Find Shanna’s books at:

Amazon | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords | Apple

Shanna loves to hear from readers! Follow her online:

ShannaHatfield | Facebook | Pinterest | Goodreads | You Tube | Twitter

Make sure you sign up for her newsletter to get the latest on new releases and exclusive giveaways!

Newsletter

Happy 100th Birthday, Raggedy Ann!

2015 marks Raggedy Ann's 100^th birthday! Across the country doll clubs and organizations are celebrating her birthday. She certainly is a doll that has withstood the test of time and she looks very good for being 100 years old!

A little history on this beloved rag doll ~ 

Johnny Gruelle (1880-1938) was a cartoonist and writer at the time of Raggedy Ann’s conception. He found a faceless doll in the family home and drew a face on it for his young daughter Marcella. He chose the doll’s name from two poems written by a family friend, James W. Riley—“The Raggedy Man” and “Little Orphant Annie.”

(Of:  An’ the Gobble-uns ‘at gits you

                   Ef you

                      Don’t

                         Watch

                             Out!   fame.)
On September 7, 1915, Mr. Gruelle received a patent for the Raggedy Ann doll. In 1918, he released a book of stories named the Raggedy Ann Stories. Marketed together, the doll and books did very well in sales. In 1920, Raggedy Andy, dressed in a sailor suit and hat, was introduced as Raggedy Ann's brother. He was a doll and also had his own stories - Raggedy Andy Stories. 
At first, Raggedy Ann was homemade by the Gruelle family.  You might be surprised to know that the sweet, smiling stuffed doll with yarn hair was not originally a redhead, but a brunette! During her lifespan she has also had orange and even blonde hair! The original dolls had a real candy heart inside. Many old Raggedy Ann dolls have brown stains on the chest where children tried to taste the candy through the cotton stuffing. Her nose, eyes, and lips have gone through subtle updates, depending on the company making her at the time. Even her feet changed from sideways facing to forward facing.

She has had quite an extraordinary life (along with her brother Andy.) Apart from of extensive legal battles brought on by an overreaching woman who tried to wrangle the trademark away from Johnny Gruelle, she has had McCall’s patterns made for her (1940-1990), three film shorts, a comic book (Dell), an animated full length film, a Halloween television special, a Christmas television special, a stage play, a Broadway stage musical, an animated television series, a Macy’s Thanksgiving balloon, a jigsaw puzzle, an annual Raggedy Ann & Andy Festival in Johnny Gruelle’s town of birth and the Raggedy Ann and Andy Museum. Raggedy Ann even has her own Facebook Fan Page! In 2002, Raggedy Ann was inducted in the National Toy Hall of Fame. Just listing all that makes me think she is one tired little doll!

Besides all that hoopla, many, many books have had Raggedy Ann as their heroine, most of them were written by Johnny Gruelle. Some books introduced other characters that have enjoyed being famous by association such as the Camel with Wrinkled Knees, Marcella, and Little Brown Bear.

Raggedy Ann and Andy harken back to a simpler time—before the internet and before battery-operated toys became all the rage. I’m afraid Raggedy Ann has a lot of competition from technical toys nowadays and many young girls don’t know the joy and comfort of having a rag doll to cuddle and love.

Do you remember your first doll? 

What is one special gift you remember receiving when you were a child? Is it still around today?

Comment to have your name placed in a drawing for my book 

The Gunslinger and the Heiress 

 a sweet western historical! 

(Sweepstake is open to continental U.S. only and lasts until midnight 11/11/2015)

Kathryn Albright's newest book is a sweet western historical that takes place in early San Diego. You can pre-order Familiar Stranger in Clear Springs here.  Although there is no Raggedy Ann in this particular tale, dolls have been known to make their appearance in other stories by Kathryn. 

Visit with Kathryn ~

www.kathrynalbright.com
Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads

Blog Tour Tuesday: COWBOYS AND CHRISTMAS

Welcome to the 2nd annual

Cowboys and Christmas

Blog Tour!

Raising funds and awareness for the Justin Cowboy Crisis Fund

Ring in the Holidays with a Helping Hand

November 1 through Dec. 24, 10 percent of the net proceeds from all Shanna Hatfield book sales will be donated to the Justin Cowboy Crisis Fund. The JCCF is a non-profit organization that assists rodeo athletes who’ve sustained catastrophic injuries and are unable to work for an extended period. Every book purchased during this promotional period adds to the donation total. Don't forget to add books to your Christmas lists!

Thank you so much for hosting me today, Robyn! It's such a pleasure to be here with you on my blog tour.

What inspired you to write the Hardman Holidays Series?

 I chose the town of Hardman as the setting because it was fun to imagine what the town as like back when it was booming. Today, Hardman is a ghost town. I wrote this particular series because I enjoy creating strong female characters and men brave enough to walk beside them.

 What's the series about?

 Hope. Faith. Love. It’s about never giving up, finding inner strength, and giving love a chance. Filly faces a dismal future until Luke opens a new door for her. Ginny is running away from her past, trying to find a future. Alex thinks her nomadic lifestyle will keep her from ever experiencing true love. Tia needs to forgive herself for a mistake she made as a young girl. Despite everything, each of them hold onto the hope that tomorrow will be a new, better day.

 What made you decide to make this a holiday series?

I love historical romances, especially those set during the holiday season. Tying in a holiday theme to each story seemed like a perfect fit for the setting and the characters.

 Tell us a little about your main characters. 

 Filly is the heroine from The Christmas Bargain, the first book in the series. Much braver than she thinks, she’s endured her father’s abuse and imprisonment on their farm for thirteen years. Luke Granger accepts her in lieu of payment on a loan just to get her away from the cruel man she used to call Papa. She needs all the courage, strength, and humor she can find when the pastor insists Luke take her as his bride.

 

 Ginny is the feisty lead character in The Christmas Token, the second book in the series. She grew up in Hardman and fell in love with Blake Stratton. Since he came from a poor family, her mother decided to whisk her away before the two teens could wed. Relocated to New York City, Ginny enjoys life there until she arrives back in Hardman quite unexpectedly and realizes she never stopped loving Blake.

 

 In The Christmas Calamity, Alexandra Janowski is a prestidigitator on the run from her past, from men out to do her harm, and the opportunity to fall in love. Forced to stay in Hardman while the blacksmith repairs her wagon, she finds her heart and thoughts drawn to banker Arlan Guthry.

Tia Devereux is a widow who returns to Hardman to raise her son in The Christmas Vow. The last person she expects to run into is Adam Guthry. As teens, they were in love with plans to wed, then she went to visit her aunt in Portland, married a much older man, and broke Adam’s heart.

 Where do you get the inspiration to write?

 My inspiration for sitting down every day and writing comes from the fact that I love doing it and there is nothing else I’d rather be doing. I left my day job two years ago to write full time, so this truly is my chosen career and source of employment.

 Is there anything else you’d like to share with my readers?

 Thank you for hosting me today. I’m so grateful for this wonderful opportunity to connect with your readers. I hope those who enjoy historical fiction, sweet romances, or a good western, will consider reading my  books.

~*~ 

New Releases

To kick off the second annual Cowboys and Christmas Blog Tour and the JCCF campaign,
 two brand new holiday romances will release Nov. 12! 

 Capturing Christmas is the third installment in the sweet holiday western Rodeo Romance series.

 Life is hectic on a good day for rodeo stock contractor Kash Kressley. Between dodging flying hooves and babying cranky bulls, he barely has time to sleep. The last thing Kash needs is the entanglement of a sweet romance, especially with a woman as full of fire and sass as the redheaded photographer he rescues at a rodeo. Determined to capture the best images possible, rodeo photographer Celia McGraw is fearless and feisty. Not one to back down from a challenge, her biggest risk isn’t in her work. Danger lurks in the way her heart responds to one incredibly handsome stock contractor. Will Kash and Celia capture the spirit of the season?
Pre-order your copy today! http://amzn.to/1FC8ZQj
 

 

Get all three books in the Rodeo Romance series!

The Christmas Vow is the fourth book in the Hardman Holidays sweet Victorian romance series. Columbia River Pilot Adam Guthry returns to his hometown of Hardman, Oregon, after the sudden death of his best friend. Emotions he can’t contain bubble to the surface the moment he sees the girl who shattered his heart eleven years ago. Widow Tia Devereux escapes her restrictive life in Portland, returning to the home she knew and adored as a girl in Hardman. She and her four-year-old son, Toby, settle into the small Eastern Oregon community, eager for the holiday season. Unfortunately, the only man she’s ever loved shows up, stirring the embers of a long-dead romance into a blazing flame. When her former father-in-law, a corrupt judge, decides he wants to raise Toby, Adam may be the only hope she has of keeping her son.
You can pre-order your copy today for only $2.99! http://amzn.to/1KQHhvI

 

 

Don't miss out on the Hardman Holidays series!

 

You’re Invited to PARTY!

You’re invited to join in the online Cowboys & Christmas Facebook Party, Thursday, Nov. 12 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (PST). Drop in anytime during those four hours to enter to win great prizes, chat with guest authors, and more (many of the giveaways will stay open until the following morning)! Here’s the link to the party: http://tinyurl.com/cowboychristmasparty2
 

The talented guest authors joining in the celebration include: 

10 a.m. - Carmen Peone 

10:30 - Kayla Dawn Thomas 

11 a.m. - Melanie D. Snitker, Author 

11:30 - Julie Cerniglia Lence 

Noon - Author CJ Samuels 

12:30 - Rachel Rossano 

1 p.m. - Author Kristin Holt 

1:30 - Dani Harper

 

Enter to Win Prizes!

To enter the drawing for an Amazon gift card, Wrangler Tote Bag, Rock & Roll Cowgirl T-shirt, autographed books, chocolates, and more fun goodies, fill out this form. Winners will be randomly drawn and announced Nov. 16. http://tinyurl.com/cowboychristmasprizes2

Where to Find The Books

 

Start the Rodeo Romance Series with The Christmas Cowboy.

Kindle | Amazon

 

 

Travel back to a time of grandeur in the old west

with the Hardman Holidays series.

The Christmas Bargain begins the popular series

and is available free for a very limited time!

Kindle | Amazon

About Shanna Hatfield

Convinced everyone deserves a happy ending, hopeless romantic Shanna Hatfield is out to make it happen, one story at a time. Her sweet historical and contemporary romances combine humor and heart-pumping moments with characters that seem incredibly real.
When she isn’t writing or indulging in chocolate (dark and decadent, please), Shanna hangs out with her husband, lovingly known as Captain Cavedweller.
This USA Today bestselling author is a member of Western Writers of America, Women Writing the West, Romance Writers of America, Sweet Romance Reads, and Pioneer Hearts.

  Find Shanna’s books at: Amazon | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords | Apple  

Shanna loves to hear from readers! Follow her online: ShannaHatfield | Facebook | Pinterest | Goodreads | You Tube | Twitter
Make sure you sign up for her newsletter to get the latest on new releases and exclusive giveaways! Newsletter

Columbia, California - Gem of the Southern Mines

Along the western edge of the Sierra Nevada, from Mariposa northward to Georgetown, a mile wide network of gold bearing quartz extended 120 miles in what is known as the Mother Lode of California. In its heart grew the gold mining town of Columbia, also known as the Gem of the Southern Mines. It is estimated the area yielded $87 million in gold at 1860's prices. It is in this town I have set my 1854  novella, Too Old for Christmas, the story of Sean Flood, Ona McNair and the two McNair boys, Jesse and Benjy.

 

1855 Columbia as viewed from Kennebec Hill to the south

The California gold rush started in 1849. A year later on March 27, 1850, Dr. Thaddeus Hildreth, a physician from Maine, who, with his brother George and a handful of other prospectors, made camp near here. They had come to California by ship traveling around the Horn. Discouraged by unsuccessful efforts to find sufficient gold in the Calaveras region, they crossed the Stanislaus River and camped under a large oak tree. Caught in a rain storm that night, they stayed in camp the next day to dry out their clothes and bedding. One of the party, John Walker, tried his hand at prospecting and discovered gold. That discovery prompted them to stay and set up their camp which yielded them $4,680 in gold during the next two days. .

 

Word quickly spread and soon miners rushed to the area. Before the month was out Hildreth's Diggings, had grown into a tent and shanty town with several thousand miners. Its original name was soon changed to Columbia.

Besides Hildreth’s Diggings, one of Columbia’s first names was Dry Diggins, then it was called American Camp before the more permanent sounding name of Columbia was decided upon April 29, 1850 by Majors Alva Farnsworth and Richard Sullivan.

 The town almost died before it really got started due to a shortage of an essential element needed for placer gold mining—water. By July of 1850, the creeks were dry. Dirt needed to be carried a long distance to find water in order to wash out the gold. Many miners chose to leave the area for claims near a more reliable water source.

 Although Dr. Hildreth is credited with discovering Columbia in 1850, many claim gold in the area was actually first discovered by Mexicans from nearby Santiago Hill. However, soon after California became a state a “Foreign Miners Tax” law was passed in April of 1850 (repealed in 1851) requiring all foreign miners to pay a monthly fee of $20, considered a large sum of money at the time, in order to mine within the state. Prejudice against Mexicans was high, and the bill was designed to drive them out. Between the loss of the Mexican families in the area which made up about two-thirds the population of Columbia. This was another reason Columbia almost died before it got going.

 

Bassett's Alley, location of his first business, just north of Maine Gulch

Saloons and gambling houses were always one of the first businesses to open in new mining camps, and Columbia was no exception. One of the first tents to go up was to provide those very services. Another of the earliest residents who was a businessman was Charles Bassett, formerly of Sonora just south of Columbia. He built several corrals for cows and sheep and opened a combination merchandise store/restaurant/butcher shop/dairy to cater to the dietary needs of the miners. One of his more popular items for sale was milk which he sold in whiskey bottles.

In 1851 Thaddeus was on a committee that helped lay out the town streets and lots. He is credited for naming Kennebec Hill south of the town after the Kennebec River in his home state. Also, the stream to the south of town he named Maine Gulch.

The first woman in Columbia was Mrs. Sarah DeNoielle who joined her husband, Arnold, in late May, 1851. The miners gave her a grand reception. When the word spread that she was coming into town, the miners quit work and walked four miles down the road to greet her. Others came from the surrounding hills to get a glimpse of a woman and participate in the celebration. She and her husband opened the first boarding house in town. She also bore the first child in Columbia on January 31, 1852.

The drier than normal winter of 1851-52 prompted the citizens to band together to

D.O. Mills &Co. Bankers and Tuolumne Co. Water Co.

form the Tuolumne County Water Company with financing help from D.O. Mills & Co. Bankers in order to build a canal system to channel water from Five Mile Creek into the mines. Men who worked on it were paid in shares rather than wages. It did not provide enough water to fill all the needs, so a second venture was started to bring water from the south fork of the Stanislaus River. When it was finished the entire system spanned sixty miles.

 A little over two years after its founding, Columbia's tents and shanties were being

Amerian Hotel destroyed by fire in 1854

replaced with more permanent structures. Streets were laid out, and by the end of 1852 there were more than 150 stores and other enterprises. There was also a church, a Sunday School, a Masonic Lodge, and even a branch of the Sons of Temperance. 

The town included thirty saloons, grocery and restaurants, twenty-one produce and grocery stores, seventeen dry goods and produce stores, eight carpenter shops, seven boarding houses, seven bakeries, four hotels, four banking and exchange houses, three express offices, three tobacconists, three drug stores, three laundries, three meat markets, two book and stationary stores, one reading room, one brewery, one ground coffee depot, one daguerreotype room, one Mexican fandango house, a small school was started and

Columbia Gazette - 1855 and now

numerous doctors, dentists and lawyers to serve a population that had grown to about five thousand. There were three newspapers, the most successful being the four page weekly Columbia Gazette. The post office was established in November of that year.  

Columbia was incorporated in May, 1854. Unlike many other mining communities built of wood, canvas and other flammable materials, it had been fortunate to escape being hit with widespread fires. Only three structures in town were built of brick.

Unfortunately, in July of 1854, a large fire

wiped out almost the entire downtown area, leaving only one brick building still standing. The rebuilding began immediately. By the end of the next day at least thirty structures had been rebuilt. However, more businesses were replacing their wood buildings with brick. They also started using the iron shutters which could be closed over the windows and doors each night to help stop the spread of fire.

It was into this city at this point in time I set my Christmas romance, Too Old for Christmas. By November, 1854, there is still plenty of carpentry work and freight hauling jobs for my hero, Sean Flood. Although the Columbia Mercantile, in what is still known as the Magendie Building named after the merchant who started the business in 1852, was rebuilt out of wood after the 1854 fire, Mr. Magendie had it reconstructed of brick in

Columbia Mercantile - Magendie Building

1855. It survived the fire of 1857 and still stands today. 

Some of the earlier businesses were not rebuilt, but the lots sold. Our record of them comes from a Towle & Leavitt lithograph published in 1855, a copy of which is in the Columbia Museum.

I hope you enjoyed reading this brief history of the town in which Sean Flood and Ona McNair and the two McNair boys lived. Several of the names, including the dentist, Dr. J.J. Massey, are names of people who actually lived in Columbia at the time the story takes place.

The following is the book description: 

Irishman Sean Flood survived the potato famine, crossing the Atlantic, the Mexican-American War, and wandering the Western wilderness with his mules and freight wagon. But, due to poor diet and deprivation, his teeth did not fare well. It’s November of 1854 in Columbia, California, Gem of the Southern Mines, a city Sean is helping to rebuild after the disastrous fire the previous summer. Intense stabbing tooth pain drives him to see Doc Massey, the local dentist. He first stops by the mercantile to pick up a bottle of whiskey—for medicinal purposes—and food­­­­ he’ll be able to eat when it’s all over. If only the beautiful but aggravating woman ahead of him who keeps her face half hidden and insists she won’t accept charity would finish up with her purchase so he can get his supplies, his tooth pulled and return home to his mules and half-built cabin….

That night, Sean meets the woman’s two sons, Jesse and Benjy McNair, and learns her secret. He decides with only three teeth left in his head, he needs widow Ona McNair’s charity—and he’s willing to pay for it. Sean won’t accept nine year-old Jesse’s declaration his family’s poverty means the boy is too old for Christmas that year. Sean is a full-grown man and he’s not too old for Christmas. He not only plans to come bearing gifts to Christmas Eve dinner with the McNairs, but he knows exactly what gift he wants for himself.   

*Sweet Romance

Too Old for Christmas is now available on pre-order at Amazon. You may purchase it by clicking HERE. It will be available on Nook soon.

a Rafflecopter giveaway 

 About the Author:

Zina Abbott is the pen name used by Robyn Echols for her historical novels. 

The author currently lives with her husband in California near the “Gateway to Yosemite.” She is a member of Women Writing the West, American Night Writers Association, and Modesto Writers Meet Up. She currently lives with her husband in California near the “Gateway to Yosemite.” She enjoys any kind of history including family history. When she is not piecing together novel plots, she pieces together quilt blocks.

Zina Abbott Links:

Website  |  Blog  |  Facebook  |  Pinterest  |  Goodreads  |  Twitter

Zina Abbott Amazon Author Page 

Too Old in Columbia Series on Facebook

Too Old in Columbia Series on Pinterest
 

Columbia History Sources: 

Koeppel, Elliot H; Columbia California On the Gold Dust Trail; Mallakof & Co. Publishing: La Habra, CA.

http://www.columbiagazette.com/

http://columbiaca.org/